


new words.

by kdee



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Drabble, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Post-Canon, Post-Season 2, eleven's struggle in her education and hopper being a dad, post-s2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 19:47:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12895428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kdee/pseuds/kdee
Summary: frustration(noun)(frʌˈstreɪʃn/)the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.





	new words.

frustration   
( _noun)_  
(frʌˈstreɪʃn/)   
the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something

-

“You okay, kid?”

Eleven loves words. Her dictionary is already nearly falling to pieces and she’s had to constantly rebind pages with sellotape, pages worn down and full of dog eared creases. The feeling of foreign words in her mouth endlessly excites her.

But she hates that her mind can only catch up so fast. That she can only articulate herself so much.

“Mhm.” She says, but she knows the tears are only so far behind, and she _hates_ maths, but really, she hates that she still has so far to go. It’s been _months_ of Hopper and Dustin and Nancy tutoring her and she still feels stuck, isolated, guilty for taking their time, and she doesn’t know how to say all that without tripping over her words. So mumbling is the only way to go.

“Hey, hey,” Hopper’s eyes have widened a fraction, knowing that a monosyllabic vocabulary means Eleven’s dangerously upset. One hand cups her shoulder, the other pushes aside the three sheets of multiplication tables aside with a rustle. “It’s okay. You’re doing so well.”

_Okay. Well_. Eleven feels like the words are deserting her in the rising tide of anger and guilt and hopelessness, can feel the blood rushing through her head. Tears blur her vision.

“ _Jane_.” Hopper says. With a sob trapped in her throat, like all the words she does not know and cannot use to describe her feelings, Eleven allows herself to become enveloped in his arms. The anger gives way to an overwhelming sadness. Jane is her ‘official’ name, as was explained to her by Hopper, the one she’s going to use when she finally gets to go to school. She knows Hopper’s used it to remind her of this, but it feels so far away and so _hopeless_. Hopper rubs a soothing hand down her back, reminding Eleven of what she’s supposed to do at these times.

“I feel like. I’m not learning enough.” Eleven manages between tears. “Feel angry it’s taking time,” she remembers this from when Hopper explained what exactly ‘taking time’ meant. “But bad for Nancy and Dustin. And you.” She hides her face in Hopper’s shoulder. “It’s taking so _long_.”

Hopper’s heart breaks a little, hating how Eleven feels so much but isn’t able to find the words to explain all of it.

“Frustration.” He murmurs. He slowly spells it out, knowing Eleven is immediately absorbing the new word. “You’re wanting this to be quicker. To be easier. So you can join everyone else.”

Eleven nods, relaxing in his arms, finally having a word to describe her pain.

“Thank you.” Eleven whispers.

Hopper holds her a little tighter, chest tight.

**Author's Note:**

> i've been thinking for a while about this and know that eleven would be so frustrated over her progress to integrating with the real world. im debating on whether to make this a series.... but i do hope the duffers touch on in this in s3!  
> tumblr if you wanna talk about s2!!!: https://hawkinsgf.tumblr.com


End file.
